


The Thought That Counts

by Tanaqui



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-21
Updated: 2013-11-21
Packaged: 2018-01-02 06:50:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1053776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tanaqui/pseuds/Tanaqui
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set in early season 2. Duke helps Audrey furnish her new apartment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Thought That Counts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scribblesinink (Scribbler)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scribbler/gifts).



> Written for Scribbler, who wanted "something schmoopy" - and then had to beta it.

"You really sure you want me here?" Duke tipped up a hideous shepherdess figurine to check the base and confirm his suspicion the antiques store would want an equally hideous price for it. Carefully setting it back down, he watched Audrey trailing her fingers along the edge of a dresser holding an assortment of vases.

"Uh-huh." She threw a smile over her shoulder at him. "I saw what you did with the _Gull_. Besides, I'm gonna need someone to help me carry it all upstairs. Unless...." She turned and faced him, biting her lip. "Unless you'd rather be somewhere else?"

"Nah, it's fine." Duke shrugged. Truth was, he was enjoying just hanging out with Audrey, without having to figure out a Trouble or fix one, even if he'd been less than impressed with this store or the previous two they'd been in. "Might pick up a trinket or two for the _Cape Rouge_ while I'm here."

Audrey made a distracted noise to show she'd heard him, though most of her attention was on the vase she'd just picked up. Duke realized it was one she'd looked at almost as soon as they'd walked into the store, before drifting off to briefly examine some candlesticks. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "You like?"

"What?" Audrey looked up at him, and then carefully put the vase down. "Yeah." She gave an awkward laugh. "Bit out of my price range, though."

"Right." Duke cleared his throat and tilted his head toward a nearby display of telescopes, ships' compasses and other nautical paraphernalia. "I'm gonna take a look at those."

"Okay." Audrey rubbed a hand across the back of her neck. "I'll, uh, I'll be in the back, looking for mirrors."

Duke nodded and headed over to the telescopes. He snuck a glance over his shoulder to check Audrey was out of sight, even as his hands honed in on a pretty little brass tripod chart magnifier that was the gem among the nautical knick-knacks—and surprisingly cheap given the price that had been stuck on the base of the shepherdess. 

Audrey's vase, when he hurried back to it, was not quite such a bargain, but he reckoned it was still worth every cent.

The vase was safely stashed out of sight in a bag and the store owner had moved on to wrapping up the magnifier by the time Audrey reappeared.

"I think I found something." She jerked a thumb in the direction of the mirrors. "But I'll need a hand. It's pretty big. Oh!" She'd spotted the magnifier disappearing inside a layer of tissue paper. "You bought something?"

"Yeah. Show you later." Duke gestured for her to lead the way. "You found something...?"

Audrey's find—a dresser with a mirror—was indeed large. Also heavy, even after the drawers had been removed and it had been taken apart into two pieces, as Duke discovered when he hauled the various sections out of the bed of his Landrover and staggered upstairs to Audrey's apartment with them. "Be right back," he promised her as he set the final piece down.

"Right." Audrey was already picking at the padding the store owner had used to cushion the mirror for its journey home. "You were going to show me that thing you bought...."

She was charmed by the magnifier when she unwrapped it. Then he handed her the other package. "And there's this...."

She carefully unrolled the tissue paper. "Oh!" Surprise lit up her face. "Is this—?" She looked up at him, uncertainly.

"A present?" He stuffed his hands into his pockets and gave her a self-deprecating half-bow. "Yes."

"You shouldn't have...." She pulled the tissue paper away and set the vase down carefully on the table.

"I know." He rolled his eyes, a little embarrassed. "But I wanted to. After all, you are my favorite tenant."

She reached out and punched his arm lightly. "I'm your _only_ tenant."

"That too." He rubbed his arm, feigning injury, and grinned at her. "Happy housewarming."


End file.
